Electric igniter for gas-engines



EXAMINER CROSS REFERENCE 0. w; BALDWIN. ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS ENGINES,

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Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS W. BALDWIN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM E; HALE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352.796. dated November 16. 1886. Application llletl July 11. 188. Serial No. 7.450. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I CYRUS W. BALDWIN, of Yonkers, county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Electric Igniters, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to that class of eitploders for gas-engines in which an electric spark is made the means of igniting the exic plosive charges; and myinvention consists in means, fully described hereinafter, for main taining the exploder in constant efl'ectivo condition.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the head of the cylinder of a gasengine illustrating my improvement. Fig.2 1's an end view of Fig. 1..

A represents the cylinder-head of a gas-en giue, which is connected by the bolts a to a so cylinder of any suitable construction, and

which, as it forms no part of the present invention, is not illustrated. The head, instead of being solid, as usual, is hollow, containing a water-chamber, 1:, through which water flows either from pipes connected to the head or through suitable connections or channels with the water-space of the cylinder.

In the center of the head Ais an opening or perforation adapted for the reception of a I threaded tube, 0, constituting the outer shell of the igniter-plng D, provided with a detachable cap, 11, at the inner end, and with a-detachable block, f, at the outer end, through which block extend two conducting-wires, e e,

5 terminating in platina electrodes 1' i, which are set at a slight distance apart, as shown. The space within the shell of the plug and around the wires 0 e is filled with a suitable artificial cement or stoneas, for instance, a

0 composition of pumice-stone and water cement, or other suitable non-conducting material which can be inserted in a plastic state, and which will harden, so as to form a solid body around the wires.

The wires cc are put in communication with the wires of an electric circuit which is made and broken in any suitable manner, so as to throw a series of sparks intermittently between the electrodes at proper intervals .to explode so the charges within the cylinder.

Heretotore eflorts have been made to explode the cnarges in gas-engines bymeans of electric sparks, but, so far as I am aware, without practical success, theill results being attribu ted in most instances to defects in the electrical appliances and the variations in the current.

I have discovered that the diflicnlty in securing uniformly good resultshas been caused by the heating of the electrodes and theirsu ports, resulting, among other things, in t e 63 partial destruction of such supports and the escape of the compressed gases. I have also discovered that by surrounding the supports for the electrodes with a chamber through which water is caused constantly to flow the 65 'parts may be maintained at such a temperature as to preserve them at all times and under all circumstances in an eflective working condition.

In the construction shown in the drawings, e and above described, the water in the chamber a: surrounding the plug serves to maintain the latter and its adj uncts at the required low temperature.

I do not limit myself to the construction of 7 plug and mode of setting the electrodesshown, and above described, inasmuch as these may be varied without departing from the main features of my invention; nor do I limit myself to the use of a screw-plug, nor to one inserted in the head of the cylinder, as difierent means of holding the plug in place may be employed, and it may be settin any desired position in respect to the cylinder or head.

Thecap d serves to secure the filling tightly 8 in place and keep it from working loose, which is important, as any play of the filling soon renders the device inoperative. I

I am aware that gas-engines have been heretofore provided with electrical igniters wherein a plug containing conducting wires, one of which is insulated by porcelain from the plug, is surrounded by water, and I therefore do not broadly claim such construction.

Without limiting myself tothe precise con- 5 struct-ion and arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. In an exploder for gas-engines, the combination, with the engine-cylinder. of a hollow shell extending through the cylinder, wires I00 passing through said shell, insulated therefrom and provided with electrodes, ands surroundiug body of artificial stone or cement, snhstan tiully as described.

2. The combination. in a gas-engine, of a cylinder having a perforation and a surrouuding water-space, an electric explcder consisting of a shell fitting said perforation, and wires passing through said shell, insulated therefrom andprovided with electrodes, substantially as described. I

3.The combination of the hollow shell, its filling, conductors, electrodes, and cap, with a gas-engine, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth. 4

4. An exploder comprising a hollow shell, aplug fitted to one end thereof, and conductors passing through and insulated from said shell, in combination with the cylinder or head of a gas-engine, and with a water-chamber which surrounds said exploder, substantially as described.

5. A hollow shell having its exterior and interior provided, respectively, withmale' and female screw-threads, a screw-threaded plug engaging said female screw-threads to close one end of said shell, conductors passing through said plug and shell to support electrodes, and non-conducting material surrounding said conductors within said shell, substantially as described.

' 6. A. hollow shell having its exterior and interior surfaces, respectively, provided with male and female screw-threads, a screwthreaded plug to engage said female screwthreads, and conductors provided with electrodes passing through said plug and shell and. insulated therefrom, in combination with a cylinder or cylinder-head, and with water-rece'iving chambers within said cylinder or cylinder-head and surrounding said hollow shell, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnmses.

CYRUS W. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

Hn'r'r L. Gaasrsox, FREDERICK SULTZERS. 

